Calls for inclusion of diverse genres in Kurdish conference
Shafaq News / Kurdish scientific and cultural organizations in Ilam province, Iran, called upon the annual Kurdish poetry conference in Mariwan to pay attention to literary and artistic genres beyond poetry and music. They urged for a unified term for the various South Kurdish dialects, encompassing Fayli, Laki, Kalhuri, and others.
In an open letter directed at the "Zagros" Scientific Institute and the Scientific Cultural Center, the statement, noted, "It's well-known that the genres of poetry and music have succeeded in preserving the existence of the Kurdish language and culture. Poets have played a significant role in this context."
The letter added, "Currently, we also need contemporary dimensions and types such as short stories, journalism workshops, linguistics, literary criticism, textbook analysis, screenwriting, and more, to provide intellectual and cultural nourishment for the new generation and enthusiasts."
It further pointed out, "It's worth mentioning that the South Kurdish language (Bahlawiyah) has been gradually recovering from its long-standing decline and extinction issue. However, the Zagros Institute for Sciences, as the sole scientific and legal center in the lower region, faces several major challenges."
The letter clarified, "This center, holding two legal licenses, includes university professors, writers, and poets from Kermanshah, Ilam, Kermanshan, Khanaqin, Baghdad, Bijar, and other places."
The letter highlighted that "the primary goal is to maintain the mother tongue and train it through certain observations, as the South Kurdish or Bahluli language lost its literary status after the spread of the literary Gorani Kurdish dialect and the emergence of conflicts between Fayli, Khorasani, Laki, and Kalhuri."
They called upon "participants and researchers to suggest an inclusive name for this group of Kurdish dialects in the future."
The letter also emphasized that "these dialects are well-understood, but authors and poets must engage with the standard language in terms of structure, grammar, and vocabulary." It pointed out that "the survival or extinction of any language in this era can only be addressed through reading and writing in the mother tongue."
The message urged "our writers and poets to strive for the standardized language for training, regardless of some specific traits of their dialect," suggesting that "the Kurdish Council in Mariwan also focus on other genres in addition to poetry."
